31 December. Day of Remembrance: 1662 Book of Common Prayer: Silvester of Rome
Kiefer,
James E. “.” Biographical Sketches. N.d. http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/26.html. Accessed 29 May 2014.
31 December. Day of Remembrance: 1662 Book of Common Prayer: Silvester of Rome; Ratifies Nicene Creed
Sylvester (or Silvester) was Bishop of Rome from 314 to 335 -- that is, from just after the Emperor Constantine's Edict legalizing Christianity to just before the death of Constantine. He was represented by delegates at the regional Council of Arles in 314 (called in an attempt to heal the Donatist schism) and at the ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 (called to decide the Arian question). Constantine gave him the Lateran Palace, which became his cathedral. Little else is known of him. There are later stories of his dealings with Constantine, but these are totally unhistorical. We remember him chiefly as a representative of Christian leaders faced with the problem of how the Church ought to relate to a surrounding society at least superficially friendly to it.
PRAYER (traditional language)
O God, our Heavenly Father, who didst raise up thy faithful
Servant Sylvester to be a bishop and pastor in thy Church and to feed thy
flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that they
may minister in thy household as true servants of Christ and stewards of thy
divine mysteries; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
PRAYER (contemporary language)
O God, our Heavenly Father, who raised up your faithful
servant Sylvester to be a bishop and pastor in your Church and to feed your
flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they
may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your
divine mysteries; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment